Winding gear for tape measures and the like



Dec. 5, 1933.

WINDING GEAR FOR TAPE MEASURES AND THE LIKE F. BERTRAM Filed Feb. 2, 1932 Jilllrlmu Friedrich B r INVEN n Mlarnq.

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIKE Friedrich Bertram, Vienna, Austria Application February 2, 1932, Serial No. 590,349, and in Austria November 24, 1931 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved winding crank for tape reel measure and the like. In the ordinary tape reel measure hitherto known the handle or grip of the handle is provided in the middle with a hinge about which this grip can 5 be folded over upon itself, so that it proper passes into and is lodged within the winding shaft which is suitably hollowed out to receive it. The inevitable result of this arrangement is that the knob of the handle can only be very short, at the most 8 to 10 millimetres long. This knob can therefore be grasped only with the tips of the fingers, with the result that the latter tire easily and when exposed to the cold they become too stiff and awkward to properly manipulate the device.

The attempt has been made to overcome this difficulty by making the crank arm together with the knob or handle proper fold as a unit against the face of the tape reel measure casing; but in this case the length of the knob is also limited to the breadth of the tape measure or rather its casing and is consequently too short.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided, on the crank arm, a handle which 25 can be grasped comfortably with the whole hand,

, so that the danger of fatigue to the finger tips or to the hand through the winding operation is obviated. In accordance with the present invention a handle is hingedly mounted on the crank arm, which is rigid on the reel spindle. The length of the handle may be approximately equal to the radius of the casing of the measuring tape, and may be constructed so that it can be folded over and brought into locking engagement with the crank arm.

One form of construction of the presentjinvention is illustrated, inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of the casing containing a measuring tape, the winding means with the handle proper hinged thereto being shown in open operative position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device with the handle in closed position.

Referring to the drawing a denotes a crank arm which is constructed preferably of a channel-shaped material, and which is provided with a leaf spring b at its free end to retain the handle proper c, the latter being pivoted eccentrically between the walls of the arm a, so that the handle does not rattle in either its open or closed positions. The crank arm a at the end opposite the handle c is rigid on the reel shaft of the tape reel.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the free end of the handle in closed position projects somewhat beyond the crank arm, of the crank arm a, and is beveled oil. on the under side, so that the handle can easily be grasped to put it into working position.

I claim:

In combination, a casing for a tape reel, a spindle supporting the reel, a grooved crank arm rigidly connected to said spindleat a point short of one end of the arm, a handle provided with a square end eccentrically pivoted in the groove'of said crank arm, said handle being disposed short of the free end of the crank arm, and the pivotal point being disposed farther remote from the free end of the arm than the distance of the longitudinal axis of the handle in erect position from the free end of the crank arm, the latter having a cavity in the bottom wall below the pivoted end of the handle, the free end and handle extending in closed position beyond the spindle end of the crank arm whereby the same can be grasped with ease, a leaf-spring spanning said cavity and being mounted on the bottom wall of the groove to abut the square end of the handle and retain the same in upright and closed positions and to prevent unintentional movement of the handle about its pivot. 9

FRIEDRICH BERTRAM. 

